by Carolyn | Adventure, Character Training, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Read Alouds, Recommendations, Spiritual Allegory
I’ve been wanting to write a post about my favorite middle-grade series for a while, but it’s so hard to write. I guess I’m afraid I won’t get it right. Because I really do want you to love The Wingfeather Saga as much as I do. And now that...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Chapter Books, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Poetry, Recommendations
Books for Christmas are pretty much a staple at my house. The books I owned myself as a child hold a special place in my heart. In fact, I still have most of them to this day. Other presents my kids receive they will eventually break or grow out of. But a good book is...
by Carolyn | Bible, Board Books, Giveaway, Picture Books
Growing up in San Antonio, I’ve always known about well-respected pastor and author Max Lucado. So when I got a chance to review a copy of his latest children’s book, Itsy Bitsy Christmas: You’re Never Too Little for His Love, I jumped on it. If...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Chapter Books, Character Training, Cultural Diversity, Early Readers, Education, Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Middle-grade, Newbery, Parenting, Read Alouds
This isn’t what I had planned on posting this month. But my heart has been heavy reading responses from friends on both sides of the aisle to the recent presidential election. There is fear of racism and persecution (and now actual occurrences of such). There...
by Carolyn | Character Training, Imagination, Picture Books, Preschool, Wordless Books
My kids know that sometimes their mama cries while reading. Ok, so it happens fairly often. But I’m not sure I’ve ever cried reading a wordless book before. Until today. The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett is a beautiful story of longing and friendship...
by Carolyn | Giveaway, Middle-grade, Picture Books
I’m celebrating my two-year blogiverary! That’s right, I’ve been writing a book related post nearly ever week for two years! That’s over 100 posts! And I’m celebrating with some news and not one giveaway, but TWO! News and Changes And I’ve got some other...
by Carolyn | Bible, Character Training
As a Christian parent, I can read books all day to my kids, but if I’m failing to read God’s word to them, what good am I really doing? I know I need this reminder to read our children’s Bibles with my kids even when our days get busy. But with all...
by Carolyn | Boys, Character Training, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Movies, Older Elementary
I just finished Wonder by RJ Palacio. Maybe I should say, I just finished sobbing through the ending of Wonder. My kids know it’s not the tragic things that make me cry. It’s the sentimental ones. And this book certainly knows how to tug on your...
by Carolyn | Book Lists, Education, Nature, Older Elementary, Picture Books, Preschool, Read Alouds
It’s fall. Here in South Texas that means the couple trees that change color have a few yellow leaves and the temperature has finally dipped below 90 degrees… at least on some days. We mainly seem to experience autumn through books. So let me share a few...
by Carolyn | Adventure, Audiobooks, Character Training, Fantasy, Imagination, Juvenile Fiction, Middle School, Middle-grade, Recommendations
Circus Mirandus, by debut author Cassie Beasley, is a book about a boy, his dying grandfather, and a magic circus. But that’s just the surface. This book, in my opinion, is really about faith. Like most good books, Circus Mirandus can be enjoyed on multiple...